Out of 26 counties with wildfire data, these are the counties with the highest smoke exposure risk.
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Counties ranked | 26 |
| Avg smoke risk (top 100) | 21/100 |
| Total county fires 5yr (top 100) | 56 |
Top 26 Counties
| Rank | County | State | Smoke Risk | County Fires (5yr) | ZIP Codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlantic | New Jersey | 41/100 | 4 | 37 |
| 2 | Ocean | New Jersey | 34/100 | 6 | 33 |
| 3 | Cumberland | New Jersey | 28/100 | 6 | 20 |
| 4 | Salem | New Jersey | 27/100 | 1 | 12 |
| 5 | Burlington | New Jersey | 26/100 | 4 | 36 |
| 6 | Cape May | New Jersey | 26/100 | 2 | 17 |
| 7 | Camden | New Jersey | 25/100 | 2 | 35 |
| 8 | Gloucester | New Jersey | 23/100 | 2 | 34 |
| 9 | Sussex | New Jersey | 22/100 | 6 | 25 |
| 10 | Passaic | New Jersey | 21/100 | 4 | 23 |
| 11 | Morris | New Jersey | 20/100 | 2 | 58 |
| 12 | Mercer | New Jersey | 20/100 | 2 | 47 |
| 13 | Bergen,Passaic | New Jersey | 20/100 | 1 | 11 |
| 14 | Monmouth | New Jersey | 19/100 | 6 | 50 |
| 15 | Warren | New Jersey | 18/100 | 1 | 21 |
| 16 | Essex,Hunterdon,Morris,Passaic,Somerset,Union,Warren | New Jersey | 18/100 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Middlesex,Somerset | New Jersey | 18/100 | 0 | 7 |
| 18 | Essex | New Jersey | 17/100 | 2 | 61 |
| 19 | Bergen | New Jersey | 17/100 | 2 | 71 |
| 20 | Hunterdon,Morris | New Jersey | 17/100 | 2 | 1 |
| 21 | Middlesex,Monmouth | New Jersey | 17/100 | 0 | 3 |
| 22 | Union | New Jersey | 16/100 | 0 | 9 |
| 23 | Hudson | New Jersey | 16/100 | 0 | 24 |
| 24 | Middlesex | New Jersey | 16/100 | 0 | 45 |
| 25 | Hunterdon | New Jersey | 13/100 | 1 | 41 |
| 26 | Somerset | New Jersey | 13/100 | 0 | 4 |
Methodology
County rankings for New Jersey based on average smoke risk score and fire frequency.
Data sources: National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), EPA AirNow. Last updated: 2026-06-04.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is wildfire smoke risk calculated?
Smoke risk scores (0-100) combine multiple factors: proximity to recent wildfires, county fire frequency over the past 5 years, historical smoke days, and geographic position relative to typical fire corridors. Higher scores indicate greater smoke exposure risk during fire season.
How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke?
Use a HEPA air purifier indoors, wear N95 or KN95 masks outdoors during smoke events, seal windows and doors, and monitor AirNow.gov for real-time air quality. Create a clean room in your home with the purifier running and windows sealed.